MEM midnight crew dismantled
 

It's official. FAA Management at MEM Tower/TRACON has taken the midnight crew and scattered it to the four winds.

For the last 10 years (or more), a dedicated group of Memphis Controllers have dedicated their working lives to the FDX midnight operation. These men and women have adapted their sleep and family schedules, and actually volunteered to stay up all night, every night, in order to work the FDX inbound and outbound operation.

This group of Controllers are so intimately familiar with the FDX midnight operation, that they know when certain aircraft are going to push onto Taxiway VICTOR; they know that certain flights require the long runway each night; they know that certain aircraft will always come out of Spot XX; they know that certain aircraft will depart RWY 27 and they even recognize some of your voices. I would wager a bet that the midnight crew knows the FDX operation better than some FDX employees.

This group of Controllers have worked together as a TEAM for many years. There have been a few day shifters to rotate through the midnight shift on occasion, but the core group has remained the same. They know what to expect from each other, and the level of trust that exists amongst these Controllers on this particular crew is unlike any other crew at MEM.

Starting on or about January 1, 2007, nearly each and every Controller at MEM Tower/TRACON will be scheduled for one midnight shift per week at MEM. Some of these Controllers have not worked a midnight shift in ten years. Most of these new midnight Controllers will not know the FDX midnight operation to the degree that our current permanent midnight crew does. Most of these Controllers have not intentionally remained awake all night in years.

The basic work week for my crew will now look like this:

DAY 1 - 1600-0000 or 1415-2215
DAY 2 - 1300-2100 or 1415-2215
DAY 3 - 1300-2100 or 0700-1500
DAY 4 - 0545-1345
DAY 4 - 2200-0600 (Yes... back to work on the same day after trying to catch a few hours of sleep!)

The schedule is posted approximately six weeks in advance, and management reserves the right to change the schedule in any manner that they deem necessary to support the FAA's goals and objectives.

It's going to be interesting to see how some of our older Controllers adapt to staying up all night, and it will be educational to work with new Controllers from other crews and experience their techniques and understanding of the midnight operation. There will certainly be some growing pains as we all adjust to the new crews, schedules and procedures.

Keep your eyes open!

MEM_ATC

Sheeeeeeeeeyyyuuuuutttt!!!!!!

I guess they never read the aeromedical research which show it is easier on the body to move progressively later than to get up earlier each day...

Good luck with that...make sure you document the issues.

The basic work week for my crew will now look like this:

DAY 1 - 1600-0000 or 1415-2215
DAY 2 - 1300-2100 or 1415-2215
DAY 3 - 1300-2100 or 0700-1500
DAY 4 - 0545-1345
DAY 4 - 2200-0600 (Yes... back to work on the same day after trying to catch a few hours of sleep!)


This schedule looks like some of our trip pairings. The good thing about flying is that only one of the pilots needs to be awake during cruise flight.
You guys in the MEM Tower/TRACON are awsome. I've flown 21 years out of MEM during the inbound and outbound launch, and I'm still amaized at the job you do and your level of professionalism.
I believe the solution to your problem will be in the form of a phone call from Fred Smith wanting to know what the hell is going on over there when the inevitable ATC delays start in January.

Haven't you seen the latest addendum to the FAA managers handbook?

Rule 3456.2: If it ain't broke- screw around with it until it is!
Rule 3456.3: When it finally is broke/SNAFU, blame the front line personnel.

Your tax dollars at work... sorry to hear that the games continue...

My Dad retired from the FAA in the 90's. Those schedules are the same sort of crap he put up with for years. I fly night cargo myself and I believe those controller schedules (especially the day/night transitions) are much harder on the body than anything I have to do.

I've been flying commercially for 26 years, so I have no illusions about FAA management. I'm just astounded that after all these years your management can still get away with ignoring basic human physiology. Hats off to the controllers who do do a fantastic job and make it work in spite of everything!

Was there a reason given behind the change?

Now you need to look twice both ways when crossing 27. Wouldn't be surprised if a new controller screws that one up a few times.

From the NASA ASRS website:

"The ASRS collects, analyzes, and responds to voluntarily submitted aviation safety incident reports in order to lessen the likelihood of aviation accidents. ASRS data are used to:

• Identify deficiencies and discrepancies in the National Aviation System (NAS) so that these can be remedied by appropriate authorities.
• Support policy formulation and planning for, and improvements to, the NAS.
• Strengthen the foundation of aviation human factors safety research. This is particularly important since it is generally conceded that over two-thirds of all aviation accidents and incidents have their roots in human performance errors."

and...

"Pilots, air traffic controllers, flight attendants, mechanics, ground personnel, and others involved in aviation operations submit reports to the ASRS when they are involved in, OR OBSERVE (emphasis added), an incident or situation in which aviation safety was compromised. All submissions are voluntary"


For my part, I'm gonna be especially vigilant around KMEM, and submit one of these puppies when warranted. It's not just a CYA card, and KMEM is hazardous enough even when the first string is running the show.

I wonder what impact a flood of ASRS reports would have on this sort of policy?

Spongebob,

Strangely enough, the FAA has been one of the leaders in publishing information relating to sleep issues. They know what shift work will do to the human body, yet they continue to force employees (Controllers and Technicians) to work a crazy schedule such as ours.

We are documenting everything. NASA Reports, Unsatisfactory Conditions Reports, Meeting Minutes and etc. They'll make the schedule change after a few more aircraft accidents and documented cases of Controllers working with only two hours of sleep between shifts.

MEM_ATC